It's like one of those fairy tales, the one with the apple
by Sete15
Summary: Some days are stranger than others, especially when random curses are involved. Not betaed.


Morning came with the sound of a rooster greeting it and with the sun peering into the rooms of a small tavern in a nameless little village on the road to Camelot. Outside, a small group of freshly saddled horses pawed the ground, allowing the servants to groom them as they waited for their riders. Inside, Sir Percival stomped back and forth, making enough noise to raise the whole village and probably the dead from their eternal slumber, too.

"Get up. We need to get going!"

He said as he grabbed the sleeping knight's arm and shook it none too gently.

Nothing happened.

"Aw come on, Gwaine, we really don't have time for this!"

Elyan heaved a frustrated sigh as he smoothed his read cloak and walked beside the other knight, standing near the bed with hands on his hips. Then his eyes rested on a water filled pitcher and he smirked. Percival nodded and gave him a thumb up sign, but quickly moved away, afraid of the reaction the cold shower might elicit. Elyan turned the pitcher and waited.

Once again nothing happened.

They traded a nervous glance now for Gwaine had not moved. He just lay there with cold water trickling down his face and neck before soaking into the bed linens.

"Is he dead?" Elyan asked.

"I don't think so." Percival answered "No."

He confirmed after he placed a hand on Gwaine's throat and felt the steady pulse under his fingers.

"So why won't he wake up, then?"

The other knight shrugged.

As he scanned the room, Elyan suddenly noticed the apple resting on the floor near the bed. A flawless apple, so red that it seemed to glow from within. The kind of red apple it only appeared in fairy tales to tempt helpless maidens.

"You don't think he did..."

They both looked at the slumbering knight. Then Percival picked the apple up and showed Elyan the bite mark.

They both rolled their eyes.

"Of course he did."

"My lords" A shy voice suddenly startled them.

A little serving girl, no more than ten or eleven years old was peering at them from the open door. In her hand she carried a scrap of paper that was going to be crumpled into a ball very soon if she didn't stop clenching her fingers so much. Percival smiled encouragingly and beckoned her in, at the same time rummaging in his pocket for some spare coins. The little thing smiled back and moved closer, handing him the message before scurrying away.

Percival's brows furrowed in concentration as he read the few words scribbled on the yellowed paper.

"What does it say?" Elyan enquired nervously.

"It would appear that only his true love's kiss will break the spell."

"His what?"

"His true love's kiss." Percival said again.

"Oh great." Elyan groaned.

Because, really, this kind of pointless curse could only befall the one person who probably had more lovers than half of the population of Camelot together. Percival could really picture people standing in a very long line as they waited to kiss their fellow knight and contemplated charging them a small fee. Well, it would definitely pay for new weapons. And winter clothes.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Go get Leon." Percival nodded wisely "He's the captain of the knights and Arthur's second in command… he's the one who should deal with these problems."

Elyan brightened at the thought and left. Not even two minutes later, Sir Leon strode into the room followed by his fellow knight. Sparing only a glance at Gwaine, he snatched the message from Percival's fingers, read it and tossed it away with a frustrated curse. Then he moved toward the bed, bent over the sleeping knight and kissed him soundly on the lips.

Both Elyan and Percival could only blink owlishly at that, but then Gwaine opened his eyes and cast them a puzzled look.

"Can we go now?" Leon growled impatiently "It's not as if we have all day…"

"Why?" Gwaine asked sleepily, not at all surprised to find Sir Leon hovering in his personal space. "Oh, is it morning already?"

"I need breakfast" Elyan mumbled "And a pint of beer."

Percival only nodded as they both fled the room.

Gwaine frowned at the hasty retreat.

"Seriously, what's got into them?"

Leon shrugged.

"One would think they never saw someone kissing before." He mumbled.

"Indeed" his fellow knight smiled lazily "Well, since we're alone…"

THE END


End file.
